Causes of Failure in Operating System

In any computer system, the Operating System (OS) is the most important system software that creates an interface between a computer user and the computer hardware, and also manages all the system resources. The operating system is a software that performs all the necessary basic functions like file management, memory management, process management, input and output handling, and controlling of peripheral devices, such as disk drives and printers.

The operating system is entirely responsible for creating a user interface and providing a platform to work all other software applications. However, like any other software of a computer system, the operating system may also fail due to some reason. So, let us discuss all the possible causes of failure in operating system.

Causes of Failure in Operating System

Some major causes of failure in operating system are explain in the following sections.

Software Errors/Bugs

Software errors or bugs can lead to failure of the operating system. The errors or bugs in the software codes causes unexpected behavior and other issues of the system, and may crash the system.

As we know, the operating system is one of the most crucial software in a computer system that has a million of lines of program codes. This much complex structure of an operating system makes it prone to errors or bugs. The bugs in operating system software code can be due to several reasons like lack of software testing, incorrect programming, etc. These bugs can affect the functioning of the operating system.

System Hardware Failure

The failure of the system hardware is one of the biggest causes of failure in operating system. In a computer system, several different types of hardware related issues can occur, such as physical damage, overheating, short-circuit, aging, etc. All these issues cause the failure of the system components, and result in failure of the entire system, more specifically failure of the operating system.

User mistakes

Sometimes, a computer user makes some mistake that can also cause failure in the operating system. For example, a user can unintentionally cause the operating system failure by deleting an important system file.

Some other common mistakes made by a computer user that results in operating system failure include installing unauthorized software applications, installing unsupported and incompatible software, changing system settings, etc. All these user practices can crash the operating system and make it fail to boot up.

Viruses and Malware

Viruses and malware are malicious computer programs that can damage the operating system of our computer system. These malicious programs try to crash the system by stealing information, deleting and modifying important files on the system, etc. Therefore, malwares are also significant cause of failure in operating system.

Power Failure

The sudden power failure can also cause failure in operating system. For example, if the computer loses power during updating and installation process, then this can corrupt the operating system, making the system fail to boot up. The sudden changes in the power can also damage hardware components of the system, which in turn may cause system failure.

Driver Problems

Another common cause of failure in operating system is due to driver problems. As we know, drivers are the system software that enable the operating system to recognize and communicate with hardware devices like printer, scanner, modem, etc.

If a driver software is corrupted or outdated or incompatible with the computer’s operating system, then it can cause operating system failure.

Compatibility Issues

Another common cause of operating system failure is the incompatibility of software applications. Any upgradation in a software application by the developer can make it incompatible to the existing operating system and hardware components.

Due to compatibility issues, old versions of software applications do not work with the existing version of the operating system or sometimes applications are upgraded that do not work with the version of the operating system. These practices cause failure of the operating system.

Overheating

Overheating of computer hardware can also interrupt the functioning of the system and may cause failure of operating system. Due to overheating, the system components do not function efficiently and cause instability and failure of the system.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why an operating system might fail, such as power failure, RAM failure, malwares, software bugs, etc. In order to reduce the chances of operating system failure, it is important to keep the operating system, software applications, device drivers, etc. up to date. Also, the proper maintenance of computer hardware reduces the risk of operating system failure.